Rescue car



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L.Y.SPEAR RESCUE CAR Filed Feb. 20, 1928 April 2s, 1931.

L. Y4 SPEAR RESCUE)` CAR Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 28, 1931.

Patented Apr. 28, 1931 i STATES FTNT @FFEQE LAV/'RENCE Y. SEAR, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOIR TO ELECTRC BOAT COMPANY, OF GROTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION E NEW JERSEY RESCUE CAR- Applicaton led February 20, 1928.

'j unsafe or injurious the escape of the personnel from the submarine by means of the access hatches, as may be done in shallow water. At adepth ot' one hundred feet or more the pressure is so great that it is impossible for the men entrapped in the submarine to reach the surface safely and certainly without the use of some means or apparatus whereby the person leaving the submerged boat `is supplied with air and is not subjected to the high pressures obtaining at the depths referred to. I have found that this can be accomplished by providing a suitable compartment or car which, when closed, is watertight and is ot ample capacity to accommodate a man of more than average size in upright or standing position, this car being particularly adapted for use with the access hatch trunk of the submarine. The car is also provided with means for quick attachment of a cable or similar member connected tothe rescue boat on the sur- Jrace for raising the compartment. By providing a rescue car of this character which fits into the hatch trunk, no changes in the construction of the submarine or of the hatch trunk are necessitated, the only requirement being the provision of suitably located valves for floodingY and draining the trunk. My rescue car may, therefore, be used in connection with submarine boats of present construction without necessitating any material changes in the construction ot" the boat or of the access hatches, which is a material advantage from a practical standpoint.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a container or rescue car of simple and inexpensive construction which is adapted to lit into and cooperate with the access hatch of a submarine. A further Serial No. 255,682.

object is to provide means associated with the car for effecting a watertight closure of the upper end of the hatch trunk when the car is in position within the trunk and the water is drained from the latter, thus permitting opening of the .door at the lower end of the trunk and the door at the lower end ot the car. Another object is to provide simple and eiiicient means for normally holding the car door closed, this means having associated therewith means releasable by the occupant of the car for holding the door thereof open. A still further object is to provide simple and eiicient means for indieating to a diver at the exterior or upper end oi the car when the car door has been closed in order that flooding of the hatch trunk by the diver before the car door is closed may be avoided. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

ln the drawings:

F ig. l is a sectional view of a rescue car constructed in accordance with my invention as applied to an access hatch trunk of a submarine boat; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

A. rescue car constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a cylindrical body l which is closed at one end by a rounded head 2 and at its other end by a closure member or door 3 having approximately the shape of a segment of a sphere. Head 2 is provided with a depending flange 3, which is secured in the upper end of body l by being welded therein, or in any other suitable manner 'to effect a fluid tight closure with the body. A relatively thick ring l is secured about body 1 beyond the longitudinal center thereof' and is provided with an integral outwardly projecting flange 5 having a dovetail recess in its under face in which Ais seated a packing ring or gasket 6. rlhe door 8 is hinged at 7 to a ring 8 of angular cross section which is welded in the lower end of body l. This door is also provided with a peripheral flange 9 having a dovetail recess in its upper tace which receives a packing ring or gasket 10.V A handle 11 extending .mil

from the outer face of the door 3 facilitates opening thereof by persons exterior to the body 1.

A rod 12 is slidably mounted within the body 1, this rod operating through brackets 13 and 14 secured to the inner face of the body. The rod 12 is provided, adjacent its upper end, with a recess or notch 15 adapted for reception of the bill of a latch member 16 pivoted at 17 in the bracket 13, this latch member being urged in operative direction by an expansion coil spring 18. A suitable lever 19 is secured to member 16 for moving the same into inoperative position. The rod is normally held in raised position by an eX- pansion coil spring 20 disposed about the rod and confined between the lower bracket 14 and a collar 21 secured to the rod. The lower end of rod 12 is connected by links 22 to a lug 23 extending from the inner face of door 3 adjacent hinge 7 thereof. When the rod 12 is in its normal raised position the door 3 is held closed with the packing gasket 10 seating firmly against the lower edge of ring 8, as illustrated, to effect a watertight closure therewith. Upon movement of the door 3 into its full open position, rod 12 is moved downwardly such a distance that the latch 16 engages into notch 15 holding the rod depressed. In this position of the rod, the lower link 22 contacts with the lower portion of ring 8 and the door 3 is held in full open position, as indicated by dotted lines. Then the latch member 16 is disengaged from notch 15 by a person within the car, spring 2O acts to return rod 12 to its raised position closing the door 3.

To enable the diver to determine when the door 3 of the car is closed, suitable signaling means visible at the upper end of the car is provided. This means may be of any suitable or preferred type and, in the form illustrated, includes a suitable indicator 2st secured on the upper end of a rod 25 having at its lower end a socket 26 suitably secured upon the upper end of rod 12, as by being screwed thereon. Head 2 is provided with a recess or pocket 27 into which is set a small pane 28 of glass of suicient thickness and strength to withstand the pressure to which it is subjected in use. Preferably, though not necessarily, the outer face of the glas pane 23 is protected by guard stays 29 suitably secured to head 2. The indicating device 24: may be of suitablel type, such as a white luminous disc which is readily visible when placed closely adjacent the inner face of the glass pane 23 but, when moved an appreciable distance away from the inner face of the glass pane is not readily visible to the diver. VJhen the door 3 is opened the rod 12 is depressed and the disc cr target 24C is accordingly removed from adjacent pane 23 and, accordingly, is not readily visible to the diver who thus knows that the door 3 is open. When the door is closed, the target 24 is moved adjacent to the glass indicating to the diver that the door is closed.

I also contemplate the provision of suitable signal means independent of the door` closino means and adapted to be operated manually by the occupant of the car. rlhis renders the signaling means under the direct control of the occupant of the car, and he can signal the diver to pull the car out of the hatch trunk after closing of the door. Obviously, any suitable signaling arrangement can be employed for this purpose.

An eye 30 is secured to head 2 by riveting or in any suitable manner. This eye is for reception of a cable or similar member depending from a rescue ship on the surface. Preferably l provide two or more weights 31 which may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the inner face of body 1 adjacent the ring 3. These weights are formed of lead and are of such value as to impart to the car,'when loaded or occupied, a slight negative buoyancy. Due to this slight negative buoyancy the diver is able, with the assistance of the suspending line or cable passinof through the eye 30, to read ily shift `the position of the car so as to insert it into an access hatch trunk.

This car is particularly adapted for use in connection with an access hatch trunk 32 of a submarine boat, the hull of which is indicated by 33, the boat being of'known type and construction. The hatch trunk 32 eX- tends through the hull 33 and through a super structure 34C, the hull and the super structure being common to the art and of well known construction. The upper end of hatch trunk 32 is closed by a suitable cover or door 35 which is secured in closed position by suitable dogs 36 which may be operated either from inside or outside of the trunk. The lower end of trunk 32 is closed by a suitable door 3'? secured in closed position by suitable securing devices 38 cooperating with elements of the door. The construction of the trunk 32 andof the door therefor, as well-as of themeans for secur ing and operating the door, is well known in the art and need not be further illustrated nor described in detail. The door 37 at the lower end of the trunk 32 is normally closed and when in full open position, as indi cated by dotted lines, may be held in any suitable manner. rlhe trunk 32 gives direct access to the service compartment of the hull, into which the trunk opens, when the door 3l' is open, as is well known in the art.

The trunk 32 is provided, a short distance below ring 1, with a water inlet opening 39 with which communicates a valve casing 410, theother end of which opens into the space between the hull 33 and super-structure 34, this space being open to the water exterior of the hull as is understood in the art. A

suitable valve is provided within the casing l0 for opening and closing thc same, this valve having a stem All extend` upwardly therefrom to within a short distance of an opening in the superstructure 3l, this opening being closed by a plate 42, one edge of which engages about the singer-structure at one edge of the oaening, the other edge of the plate being secured by a suitable dog l-3. A hand wheel ist is secured on the upper end of stem al in alignment with the l aand hole which is normally closed by the plate i2. Trunk is further provided with a second inlet opening 45 adjacent its lower end with which communicates a flood pipe 46, the outer end of which communicates with the space i7 through an opening i8 in the hull. A suitable valve structure 49 is provided in the pipe a6 for opening and closing the same. A drain pipe 50 communicates with trunlr 32 adjacent the lower end thereof and discharges into the main compensating tanlr of the submarine (not shown), or into any other suitable tank or compartment for drainage of water from the trunlr, or this pipe may discharge into the bilgc. A suitable valve 5l is interposed in drain pipe 50 for controlling opening and closing thereof.

In the use of my rescue car, thedriver, after locating the cover 35 of the hatch trunk 32 signals to the occupants of the compartment of the submarine and determines that the lower door 37 of the trunk is closed and tho trunl'r has been flooded by opening of the valve 49. rlhe diver then releases and opens the door 35 after which he inserts the car into trunk 32 with the flange A5 adjacent and concentric with the upper end of the trunk. He then signals to the occupants of the compartment who open the valve 51 and drain the water from the trunk. As the water is drained from the trunk the pressure above the car l and flange 5 holds the gaslret 6 in position seated fir-mly upon the upper end of the trunk so as to form a watertight closure therewith. After the trunk has been drained door 37 is opened, after which door 3 is opened and one of the occupants of the compartment of the submarine enters the car and stands upright therein upon the lugs or supports 52 projecting from the ring 8 at diametrically opposite points thereof, as illustrated. he door 3 is then released so as to be moved into closed position, after which door 37 is secured tightly closed and valve 5l is closed, valve i9 being opened to again flood the trunk 32. Then the trunlr has been flooded the diver is advised of this fact by suitable signals and he, in turn, signals to the ship on the surface as a result of which the cable or line secured through the eye 30 is wound upon its drum so as to withdraw the car from the trunk 32 and raise it to the surface Where the door 3 is opened and the occupant of the car is removed therefrom. The empty car is then returned to the diver who again inserts it into the trunk 32, and the operation described is repeated. ln the case of the last occupant of the compartment, the valve 49 is not opened and the trunk door 37 remains open, the valve 51 ofV drain pipe 50 remaining closed. ln this case, the door 3 is moved into its full open position in Which position it is held by the latch 16 and rod 12 in the nanner previously described. maining occupant of the compartment of the submarine then enters the car l and moves the latch 16 into inoperative position byl means of the lever 19, thus permitting closure of the door 3. rlhe diver, who has been previously advised of the fact that the man in the car is the last occupant of the compartment, then removes the plate 42 and opens the valve in the casing if), flooding the compartment with which the trunk 32 communicates. As soon as the pressure inside of the compartment equals the sea pressure outside, or is approximately equal to the sea pressure, the car is Withdrawn from the trunk and lifted to the sur-V face in the manner previously described.

ln the event that there is a strong tide or current running over the wreclr, the diver is apt to experience difficulty in handling the car and insertingit into the hatch trunk, with a consequent loss in time in effecting rescue of the men from thedisabled boat. To avoid this, l provide suitable means for guiding the car to the hatch trunk and properly seating it thereon. rlhis means may assume various forms, that illustrated in F ig. 2 being a preferred form due to its simplicity of construction and efliciency in positioning the car. i

l provide two centering pins 53 secured to the superstructure 34 at opposite sides of, and equi-distant from, the' access hatch opening. An eye t` is secured to the superstructure adjacent each pin and between the same and the hatch opening. rThese eyes receive the ends of guidelines 55 secured therethrough and extending from the ship at the surface.

The guide lines 55 pass through eyes 56 in arms 57 extending from ring 4l.. A centering ring 58 is provided at the outer end of each arm 57. rlhese rings receive pins 53, each of which has an upwardly tapering body 53a and a cylindrical base 535 of a diameter to fit snugly into ring 58. The car is lowered along the lines 55 and directed thereby into the hatch trunlr. As'ring Il approaches the upper end of the trunk, the body portions of pins 53 enter the rings 58 roughly centering the car. Upon continued downward movement of the car, thebase portions 53?) of the pins enter the ringsand center the car accurately, lrelative to the The last re-k hatch trunk, as the gasket 6 seats upon the upper end thereof. This provides simple and efficient means for properly positioning and centering the car in the hatch trunk and greatly tacilitates handling of the car. The lines 55 also serve as guides in raising and lowering of the car, effecting a very material saving in time in this respect.

`While I have referred to the guide lines as extending from a surface ship, I also contemplate using this arrangement with a rescue submarine boat moored above the disabled boat, such as that disclosed in my copending application, for Rescue buoy, Serial Number 266,541, iiled April 2, 1928. In this case, the rescue submarine is fitted with suitable centering pins and eyes at opposite sides of the lower hatch opening, and the guide cables are secured to the eyes of the rescue boat, the rings of the rescue cars having suitable arms provided with eyes and centering rings cooperating with the centering pins in the manner above described.

The guide lines 55 are held suiiciently taut to ensure eiiicient guiding of the car, and are spaced apart at their upper ends, when depending from a surface ship, in any suitable or preferred manner. To facilitate lowering of the car a weight member approximately equal to the average weight of a man may be placed therein. Upon opening of the door 3 this weight is discharged into the disabled submarine boat.

The langedhead Q-and the ring 8 of angular cross section are of material assistance in strengthening the car at the ends thereof, and the flanged ring strengthens the body l of the car intermediate its ends, the ear structure as a whole being well capable of withstanding the high pressures to which it is necessarily subjected. This car, constructed in this manner, is particularly adapted for working at great depth and is also adapted for use in connection with access hatch trunks, such as are commonly provided in submarine boats of present day type and construction without necessitating any material change whatever in the construction of the hatch trunk and associated parts.

What I claim is l. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body closed at one end and adapted to fit into an access hatch trunk, a flange on the body adapted and disposed to seat upon the upper end of the trunk and form a water tight closure therewith, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means urging the door in closing direction, and means releasable from which the body for holding said door in open position.

2. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body closed at one end and adapted to fit into an access hatch trunk, a ilange on the body adapted and disposed to seat upon the upper end of the trunk and form a water tight closure therewith, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means urging the door in closing direction, and means within the body for releasably holding the door in open position.

3. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body closed at one end and adapted to fit into an access hatch trunk, a flange on the body adapted and disposed to seat upon the upper end of the trunk and form a water tight closure therewith, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, a rod slidably mounted within the body for movement lengthwise thereof, a linkage connection between the door and the adjacent end of the rod, yielding means urging the rod away from the door for closing the latter, and automatic means within the body for releasably securing the rod in depressed position and holding the door open. l

4i. A rescue oar for use with 4submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body closed at one end and adapted to fit into an access hatch trunk, a flange on the body adapted and disposed to seat upon the up per end of the trunk and form a water tight closure therewith, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end ot' the body, a rod slidably mounted within the body for movement lengthwise thereof, a linkage connection between the door and the adjacent end of the rod, yielding means urging the rod away from the door for closing the latter, a spring pressed latch member within the body, said latch member and the rod having cooperating means for releasably securing the rod depressed and holding the door open.

5. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body closed at one end, a flange on the body, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means urging the door in closing direction, and means releasable from within the body for holding said door in open position.

6. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body having a water tight closure at one end, a flange on the body, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means urging the door in closing direction, and means releasable from within the body for holding said door in open position.

7. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body having a water tight closure at one end, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means urging the door in closing direction, and means releasable from within the body for holding said door in open position.

8. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body having a water tight closure at one end, a door 'forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, yielding means nrging the door in closing direction, means releasable from within the body for holding said door in open position, and signalling means eective exteriorly of the body and actuated by closing of the door for indicating when said door is closed.

9. A rescue car for use with submarine boats, comprising, a water tight hollow body having a water tight closure at one end, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, and signalling means eective eXteriOrly of the body and actuated by closing of the door for indicating when said door is closed.

10. A rescue car for use with submarine boats comprising, awater tight hollow body having a. water tight closure at one end, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end oi the body, an indicating device adjacent the first mentioned end of the body and visible exteriorl thereof, and means actuated by closing o the door for actua-ting said device to indicate that the door is closed.

11. A rescue car for use withk submarine boats comprising, a water tight hollow body having a. water tight closure at one end, a door forming a water tight closure with the other end of the body, an indicating device adjacent the first mentioned end of the body and visible exteriorly thereof, and means actuated by closing of the door for moving said device into position to indicate that the door is closed.

12. In combination with a submarine boat including a. hull and an access hatch therefor, a rescue car adapted to t into the hatch trunk and having a flange adapted to seat upon the upper end of the trunk and form a water tight closure therewith, centering pins on the boat adjacent the hatch, guide lines secured to the boat at opposite sides of the hatch, and means on the car cooperating with said lines and with the pins for guiding the car into the hatch trunk and centering it therein.

13. In combination with a submarine boat comprising a hull and an access trunk opening through the hull into a compartment thereof and with its lower end adjacent the top of the hull, a removable cover for the outer end of the trunk, a removable cover for the inner end of the trunk and opening inboard, a rescue car adapted for insertion into the trunk when the Outer cover isremoved, said car being provided with a flange disposed to seat upon the upper end of the trunk and form a Water tight closure therewith, said flange being disposed intermediate the ends of the car and spaced from the lower end thereof a distance approximately equal to the length of the trunk and the lower end of the car being disposed adjacent the lower end of the trunk, and a removable cover for the lower end of the car and movable into open position through the lower end of said trunk when the inner trunk cover is open whereby entry may be had directly to the car from said compartment and through the lower end of the trunk.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of February, 1928.

LAVRENCE Y. SPEAK.

CERTIFCATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,802,932. Granted April 28, 1931, to

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 62, claim 1, for the word "which" read within; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of May, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

